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Rising Shadows, Falling Stars/Striking Thunder
Striking Thunder We are the five Clans. We are enemies, foes, friends, and kin. We are the Shadow Realmers. We are your worst nightmare. We are the Outcasts. We seek revenge, more revenge than our predecessors did. We are the Rebels. We are apprentices who don't give a fox dung about Clan boundaries. We are the Adventurists. We explore to destroy the Realm, and to defeat enemies, old and new. ~As Clan boundaries become extra tight and the Clans more untrusting, the Realm grows stronger and stronger each day. Plague sweeps the forest, and no one can trust. Except for a certain group of apprentices . . . ~ ATTENTION: Some characters are from Tigerheart's Shadow and are unreleased characters. Allegiances ThunderClan Leader: Squirrelstar – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw Deputy: Stemwhisker – white-and-orange tom Apprentice: Mousepaw Medicine Cats: Jayfeather – gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes Alderheart – dark ginger tom with amber eyes Warriors: ''' Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom '''Apprentice: Thunderpaw Poppyfrost – pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat Lilyheart – small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches, and blue eyes Snowbush – white, fluffy tom Ambermoon – pale ginger she-cat Dewnose – gray-and-white tom Cherryfall – ginger she-cat Molewhisker – brown-and-cream tom Stormcloud – gray tabby tom Apprentice: Firepaw Hollytuft – black she-cat Fernsong – yellow tabby tom Sorrelstripe – dark brown she-cat Honeyfur – white she-cat with yellow splotches Apprentice: Lionpaw Plumflight – black-and-ginger she-cat Shellfeather – white she-cat Apprentices: Firepaw – golden-and-ginger she-cat with piercing green eyes the exact same of Firestar’s Mousepaw – cream she-cat with extra sharp claws Thunderpaw – ginger she-cat with a spiky tuft of fur on her head Lionpaw – golden tabby tom with spiky fur Queens: Blossomfall – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches, expecting Mousewhisker's kits Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes (mother to Bumblestripe's kits, Beekit, silver tabby she-kit, Spikekit, spiky-furred white tom, and Songkit, a black she-kit with a gray underbelly) Sparkpelt – orange tabby she-cat (mother to Fernsong's kits, Leafkit, brown tabby tom, Leopardkit, tortoiseshell she-kit, Cinderkit, smoky gray tom, and Larkkit, orange she-kit) Elders: Brackenfur – golden-brown tabby tom Brightheart – white she-cat with ginger patches Cloudtail – long-haired white tom with blue eyes Millie – striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white paws and chest ShadowClan Leader: ''' Rowanstar – dark ginger tom '''Deputy: Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom Apprentice: Slashpaw Medicine Cat: ''' Puddleshine – brown tom with white splotches '''Apprentice: Fennelpaw Warriors: ''' Berryheart – black-and-white she-cat Cloverfoot – gray tabby she-cat '''Apprentice: Needlepaw Rippletail – white tom Juniperclaw – black tom Yarrowleaf – ginger she-cat with yellow eyes Lioneye – yellow she-cat with amber eyes Apprentice: Shadowpaw Birchbark – beige tom Frondnose – gray tabby she-cat Apprentice: Halopaw Gullbird – white she-cat Queens: ''' Grassheart – pale brown tabby she-cat Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat '''Elders: Snowbird – pure white she-cat with green eyes Scorchfur – dark gray tom with slashed ears RiverClan Leader: Mallowstar – light brown tabby tom Apprentice: Ivypaw Deputy: ''' Mintfur – light gray tabby tom '''Medicine Cat: Willowshine – gray tabby she-cat Apprentice: Fallowpaw Warriors: Lizardtail – light brown tom Jayclaw – gray tom Apprentice: Flypaw Owlnose – brown tabby tom Brackenpelt – tortoiseshell she-cat Curlfeather – pale brown she-cat Podlight – gray-and-white tom Havenpelt – black-and-white she-cat Breezefall – gray tabby-and-white tom with yellow eyes Cypressleaf – brown-and-white she-cat with hazel eyes Nightshade – dark gray she-cat with blue eyes Apprentice: Riverpaw Softshade – gray she-cat Dapplefur – gray-and-white tom Gorsefoot – white tom with gray ears Harewhisker – white tom Queens: ' Wavesplash – silver-and-white she-cat with green eyes and a long tail '''Elders: ' Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes Sneezecloud – gray-and-white tom Minnowtail – dark gray-and-white she-cat WindClan '''Leader: Harestar – brown-and-white tom Apprentice: Windpaw Deputy: Featherpelt – gray tabby she-cat Medicine Cat: ''' Kestrelflight – mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers '''Apprentice: Wingpaw Warriors: Willowclaw – gray she-cat Breezepelt – black tom with amber eyes Apprentice: Mothpaw Leaftail – dark tabby tom with amber eyes Slightfoot – black tom with a white flash on his chest Apprentice: Strongpaw Larkwing – pale brown tabby she-cat Apprentice: Crowpaw Ferntail – gray tabby she-cat Queens: Brindlesplash – mottled brown she-cat, expecting Slightfoot's kits Smokewillow – gray she-cat (mother to Oatclaw's kits, Sunkit, Moonkit, and Frostkit) Elders: Nightcloud – black she-cat Oatclaw – pale brown tabby tom Hootwhisker – dark gray tom SkyClan Leader: Hawkstar – dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes Deputy: Finwhisper – light brown tom with ginger legs Medicine Cat: Fidgetfoot – black-and-white tom Warriors: Sagenose – pale gray tom, foster to Bellaleaf's kits Mintfur – gray tabby she-cat Apprentice: Cloudpaw Macgyver – black-and-white tom Dewfoot – gray tom Reednose – pale tabby she-cat Apprentice: Skypaw Cloudmist – white she-cat Twigshine – gray she-cat with green eyes Violetwing – black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes Sunnystone – ginger she-cat Pigeonscar – gray-and-white she-cat with scars crisscrossing on her legs Quailtoe – tom with crow-black ears Queens: Blossomheart – ginger-and-white she-cat, expecting Finwhisper's kits Bellaleaf – pale orange she-cat with green eyes (mother to Fidgetfoot's kits, Rileykit, Leafkit, and Rainkit) Tinycloud – small white she-cat, full time queen Pebbleshine – brown-speckled white she-cat with a scarred pelt and face, expecting Hawkstar's kits Elders: Fallowfern – pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing Sparrowpelt – dark brown tabby tom with three legs Clovertail – light brown she-cat with white belly and legs Waspwhisker – gray-and-white tom Cats Outside Clans Snake – sleek yellow she-cat, formerly Sleekwhisker (mother to Thistle's kits, Ash, gray tom, Star, yellow she-cat, and Thorn, dark gray tom with creamy spots) Nettle – brown tom with long, spiky fur Flame – orange she-cat with white belly fur and green eyes (expecting Roach's kits) Smoke – white tom, Snake and Darktail's kit Scar – bright red she-cat, Snake and Darktail's kit Bee – yellow tom, Snake and Darktail's kit Night – black she-cat, Snake and Darktail's kit Shard – silver tom, Nettle and Raven's kit Lightning – white tom, Nettle and Raven's kit Tsunami – blue-gray she-cat, Nettle and Raven's kit Hurricane – dark gray tabby she-cat, Nettle and Raven's kit Dovewing – pale gray she-cat with green eyes, formerly of ThunderClan Pinespirit – dark brown tabby she-cat Grayheart – gray tom Shiningflower – brown she-cat with gray splotches on tail Dark Forest Ripplestar – black-and-orange tom with yellow eyes Mapleshade – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with a thick fluffy tail and amber eyes Thistleclaw – gray-and-white tom with amber eyes Maggottail – black tom with white tail tip and white splash on his nose; yellow eyes and fox bite on tail Darkstripe – sleek black-and-gray tabby tom Snowtuft – small skinny white tom with a scar stretching from his belly to his ear Clawface – scrawny brown tom Deerfoot – mottled dark gray and brown tom with a white chin, chest, and paws and yellow eyes Batear – black-and-white tom with a missing eye and a dreadfully scarred face Tangleburr – gray-and-brown she-cat Brightflower – orange tabby Blizzardwing – mottled white tom Redwillow – mottled brown-and-ginger tom Marshcloud – brown tabby tom with a short tail Rushtooth – plump light brown tabby she-cat with glossy fur Lilywhisker – light brown she-cat Houndleap – scrawny black tom with a torn ear tip Sparrowfeather – small mottled brown tabby she-cat with a battered muzzle Slash – mangy, scarred brown tabby tom with white slash across his front legs One Eye – mangy mottled pale ginger tom with knotted fur and one eye Bee – black-striped yellow she-cat Beetle – brown-and-black tom Silverhawk – ragged pale gray tabby tom Darktail – a strong, muscular tom with white fur broken up by black spots around his eyes Roach – silver-gray tom Raven – long-furred black she-cat StarClan Firestar – ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt and green eyes Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes Graystripe – long-haired gray tom Larksong – Cinderheart – gray tabby she-cat Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes Hollyleaf – black she-cat with green eyes Briarlight – dark brown she-cat Bumblestripe – very pale gray tom with black stripes Bluestar – blue-gray she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle Mossclaw – pale gray-and-white she-kit with bright blue eyes Snowfur – snowy-white she-cat with gray tipped ears Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes Onestar – brown tabby tom Mistystar – blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes Crowfeather – dark gray tom Crowfrost – black-and-white tom Pinenose – black she-cat Needletail – silver she-cat Oakfur – small brown tom Ratscar – scarred, skinny dark brown tom Conepaw – white-and-gray tom Leafstar – brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes Sharpclaw – dark ginger tom Honeytail – pale ginger she-cat with long fur Billystorm – ginger-and-white tom Stormheart – ginger-and-gray she-cat Firefern – ginger she-cat Rileypool – pale gray tabby tom with dark gray strips and blue eyes Ebonyclaw – striking black she-cat Harveymoon – white tom Nettlesplash – pale brown tom Rainfur – light gray tom with dark gray flecks Frecklewish – mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs Bouncefire – ginger tom Mistfeather – gray tom with amber eyes Realm of the Stars Tigerstar – big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws Fenneldust – light brown tabby she-cat with white hairs on her muzzle and shredded ears Spottedleaf – beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat Hawkfrost – dark brown tom with a white underbelly and ice-blue eyes Brokenstar – long-haired dark brown tabby with a bend in his tail Antpelt – brown tom with one black ear Prologue Ripplestar growled, pacing the forest. He paused to scrape the earth, and then continued. Another cat, this time a tortoiseshell, yowled in rage as he paused to look in the murky pool that hid the depths of the living world. The tom himself wished that he too could be released from this forest, so that he could torment the living world. But not today. Today was the day of the meeting, and they were all waiting for the ragged tortoiseshell-and-white that was their leader, their hope and comfort, and their throat-slitting psycho. The tom hissed and asked, “When will Mapleshade arrive?” Pausing only to look wistfully at Lilywhisker, who was limping around on her three good feet, he continued. “We’ve been waiting here forever, and she’s not showing up! Has she forgotten her duty to us?” A weary-looking tom with half his face shredded off stepped forward. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Hollowstar may have been a fool, but he wasn’t late. And neither was he late at Gatherings or anything.” The black and orange tom known as Ripplestar snarled at him. “Don’t. Mention. The. Gathering.” The tom surveyed what was made of this group, including much more. “One Eye! Beetle! Slash! Bee! You’ve been here longer than most. Tell me, what has happened to Mapleshade?” All four cats looked at each other uncertainly, with Bee lashing her tail in frustration. Finally, they shook their heads dejectedly. The dark warrior growled, then turned to the pool. “I wish we could figure out—” Suddenly the pool cleared. Inside were a tortoiseshell, a tabby, and a mottled tabby. “Help!” the tabby, Hawkfrost, the tom realized, wailed. “We’ve lost Brokenstar a few moons ago, and a half moon ago we lost Tigerstar, and now we’ve lost Fenneldust and . . . and we saw Mapleshade in here but now we can’t find her! What if she wanders to the Ream of the Shadows? I’ve heard stories, stories that will make even your hearts chill!” The waters rippled again. “We have your precious cats,” sneered a cat. “Of course, one of them was being a teensy bit arrogant and outspoken, so we sliced his throat until he dissolved. Now, we’ve took a look at your territory, and we like it. Join us, and you will have no problem. You will rule the forest. But if you resist, then you will meet the same fate as your friend over here. We’ve also captured a few of your . . . counterparts. Return your decision by the next moon. Or else.” The cat, a massive black-and-brown she-cat, howled with laughter, and the pool became murky once more. The cats began to panic. If even the most ferocious of cats couldn’t keep himself safe, how safe were they? The tom saw them muttering to each other in low tones, and he tried to speak, but he could barely keep the fear out of his voice. “I know what we’re going to have to do. We’re going to have to journey to StarClan.” A ginger tabby she-cat with white paws began licking them. She was aware that her friend and mentor Spottedleaf would never walk the skies of StarClan ever again, but that didn’t stop her from missing the lithe dappled she-cat. She got up and paced the floor, watching for the blue-gray she-cat that was a former ThunderClan leader, and her mother, a bony, grizzled gray she-cat with a flat muzzle. She sighed and beckoned for her sister to come over, and waited as two more cats, a snowy-white she-cat with gray-tipped ears, and a black tom with white flashes, came out of their dens. “Where is Bluestar?” inquired the tom. “I thought she called a meeting.” The she-cat shook her head. “She’s not here, Ravenpaw. Plus, Yellowfang isn’t here either, and we haven’t seen neither fang nor pelt of Firestar or Hollyleaf or Lionblaze. I wonder where they are.” A bush rustled, and a smaller white tom, as small as a kit with blue eyes stepped forward. He warily looked around, and the she-cat recognized him at once. “Snowtuft!” she snarled. “You’re not welcome here.” He dipped his head, and squeaked, “I know, but we have something to tell you. Listen to Darkstripe, and he will tell you where your Clanmates are.” The striped black tom nodded, and took the kit’s place. “It all begins with the disappearance of our own Clanmates . . .” Chapter One “She is dead,” announced the blind gray tom, who only paused to bend down and cough up a bunch of icky yellowish-brown substance. The other medicine cat looked sadly at him, as if he was going to be sitting vigil for the ancient tabby. “No!” wailed a lithe she-cat. “She can’t be! Squirrelstar is the strongest cat I know! She can’t be dead!” Firepaw watched the commotion through narrowed eyes. She couldn’t believe the strongest of ThunderClan leaders, Squirrelstar, was dead. The ginger she-cat was only a kit when Bramblestar fell at the paws of Darktail’s companions, but she was old enough to remember sitting vigil for the heavyset tom. A black-and-orange she-cat, with a fierce glint in her eyes stepped forward. “And what of Stemwhisker? Will he lead us through this dark time? Snowbush is sick, and Stormcloud showed signs of being sick this morning.” The tom standing next to the elderly medicine cat shook his head. “No, Plumflight, he is with us no longer. And I fear that Jayfeather will not be here any longer either.” He glared at the gathered cats, waiting for them to respond, but none did. Jayfeather, the blind tabby, proceeded to carry the former leader out of her den, and laid her neatly on the ground. Thunderpaw and Mousepaw, her daughters, wailed their grief, while the younger tom, Alderheart, and his sister Sparkpelt touched their noses to her pelt briefly, then backed away. Firepaw never saw these many cats so panicked before. At least with Bramblestar Squirrelstar was destined to lead. But now with both leader and deputy dead they seemed to have lost control of their lives. “Enough.” Alderheart, a dark ginger tom, waved his tail to signal that he wanted silence. “I will have to act as leader for now, as Jayfeather is clearly sick. But we will need to elect a new leader, and I know how the election of Flowerstar came to be. I don’t want that this time!” he hissed, clearly annoyed. “Go forth and announce your leader when you come to it.” Firepaw joined in the conversation with the other apprentices. “Who do you think will become the next leader?” fretted Mousepaw. The other apprentices, obviously tense, scored the earth and lashed their tails, waiting for the warriors to come to a consensus. “We have reached the consensus,” meowed a warrior. “The new leader will be Cherryfall, and she has agreed to let Fernsong be deputy.” Alderheart nodded. “A wise choice.” He paused. “Fernsong, get Jayfeather to the medicine den, and have Brightheart assist you in helping him. I will travel with you, Cherryfall, to the Moonpool, and may your ancestors walk with you tonight.” She nodded, then walked over to say good bye to her brother. “Cherryfall!” meowed Firepaw. She raced over to her mother, who nuzzled her. “I wish you didn’t have to become leader. I still want you,” she admitted. Lionpaw, her brother, mewed his agreement. Their father, Stormcloud, rolled his eyes. “She’ll still be here. It’s not like she’ll disappear.” Cherryfall shot him a playful look, and he mumbled, “Just sayin’.” The two apprentices ran over to their littermates, Mousepaw and Thunderpaw, who were sisters. “Great StarClan, I can’t believe our mother is going to the Moonpool to receive her nine lives!” chirped Lionpaw. Firepaw swiveled her ears around. “I swear I hear something,” she meowed cautiously. When the others stared at her, she meowed, “Never mind.” Two of their mentors, Honeyfur and Mousewhisker were agitated, swishing their tails around, back and forth. When Honeyfur’s sister asked what was wrong, she growled, “Stemwhisker isn’t around to mentor Mousepaw anymore. And since there is no stand in leader for Cherryfall, we don’t have anyone to appoint a new mentor for Mousepaw.” Fernsong, who had been listening, growled, “I am deputy! Do you think I have some authority over who gets to mentor who when the leader is away?” The three cats walked away bickering. Firepaw blinked. How could things be happening so suddenly? Her mentor, Stormcloud, told her that they should catch prey to help the Clan get through leaf-bare. So, along with Lionpaw, she slunk close through the forestry of ThunderClan territory, hoping that maybe a cache of prey was nearby. “Psst!” her brother whispered. “I can smell two thrushes! And one finch!” He ran off, not caring that he was making tons of noise. “Oh Lionpaw,” she sighed, dashing after him. Not long after she spotted the thrush, and climbed the tree silently. Reaching out with a paw, she caught the thrush and shimmied down the tree as best as she could with a bird in her mouth. Spotting her father and brother, she ran up to them. “Any luck?” “The thrush flew away. The finch is in Stormcloud’s mouth.” Two faces peeked out. “We’ve got your thrush!” one of them squealed. A blue-gray she-cat poked her head out of the bracken and shadows. “We’re excellent at catching birds.” The she-cat next to her, a white-and-gray she-cat, cuffed her lightly. “Don’t brag, Skypaw! That’s our secret to keep!” “It’s not considered bragging if we state the obvious.” “Yes it is!” “Knock it off, you two.” A black-and-white tom glared at them both. “Must I tell Hawkstar that you two are misbehaving again?” Firepaw glanced at Stormcloud, who shrugged and mouthed, I don’t know what’s going on here. They backed away slowly, until they were out of sight of the other Clan cats. “What Clan are they from?” breathed Lionpaw. Both of them hadn’t gone to the Gathering yet, but Mousepaw and Thunderpaw did. Stormcloud sniffed the air before growling, “That was SkyClan. Hawkstar is the leader of SkyClan, and that tom must’ve been Macgyver, a tom who kept his kittypet name. But they shouldn’t be hunting on our territory! I’ll inform Cherryfall of this when she gets back, and if possible, Hawkstar. Firepaw tipped her head to one side. “Okay. But what’s wrong with letting cats hunt on our territory?” Stormcloud rolled his eyes before responding, “This isn’t the Revenge Battle anymore, Firepaw. I know all cats born around the time of Larksong, Honeyfur, and Leafshade are used to being close to the other Clans. I know of a couple friendships myself, including my own. But we all put them aside for the good of ThunderClan, remember?” Lionpaw licked his paw before asking, “But why does it have to be this way? Can’t it just always be like this?” “That’s not how the Clans work, Lionpaw.” “Oh, mouse-dung.” “Lionpaw . . .” “What?” “Never mind.” They walked back to camp with the thrush and finch, with Lionpaw arguing along the way. When they got back, the camp was in complete disarray. Plumflight and Ivypool were arguing over who gets to have first pick of the fresh-kill pile. Leafpool was screeching for Jayfeather to wake up, and Fernsong was furious at Mousepaw and Thunderpaw. “What is going on?” Cherryfall’s voice filled the ravine, fresh and furious. “I go away for a while and I see the camp in disarray?” She did a complete loop around the camp, glaring at each cat. Some glared back, defiant. Others cowered under her amber eyes. Still others were nonchalant, continuing their daily business. Firepaw snuck over to the fresh-kill pile, dropped her finch, then scampered back, afraid of her mother’s fury. She could be so angry at times, though she could control it. Yet when she was mad, she was mad, and could not be controlled. Cherryfall stomped over to her deputy, and leaned towards him. “What were you doing, Fernsong? How did you act as my deputy?” Fernsong looked defiant. “I tried!” he snarled. “But no one would listen to me! Can you believe the insolence of these younger cats?” On and on and on he ranted about how the Clan was being disrespectful, and how the apprentices thought they were so much better than him. “Silence.” Cherryfall roared. “I’m now Cherrystar, and will announce that at the Gathering. For now, we will sit vigil for Squirrelstar and Stemwhisker.” Jayfeather dragged the bodies out, then coughed. He collapsed into a coughing fit before shuddering and lying completely still. Firepaw gasped. She started to run over to the blind tom, but her mother stopped her. “Don’t go near him, he’s sick and probably dead because of it.” “He can’t be dead!” Leafpool wailed. “He’s the only son I have left!” Alderheart raced towards the tom. He pressed his ear to his mentor’s chest, then began to push Jayfeather’s chest. After about ten pushes, he listened again, but shook his head. “I can’t revive him. I’m sorry, but he is truly dead. Now all of you, back off! He carries the sickness and I don’t want you catching it.” “But I don’t want you catching it either,” meowed Sparkpelt, his sister. “You’re my brother. I don’t want you dying.” Leafpool’s cries stretched into the night, piercing the very blackness itself. “No. No! NO! NO!” Firepaw shrank back from the hysterical she-cat, pressing into her mother’s fur. She whimpered as Leafpool crumpled in a sobbing heap. “What’s going to happen to us?” she cried. “Squirrelstar, Stemwhisker, and Jayfeather are dead, and Leafpool’s gone mad!” Burying herself in the softness of her mother’s fur, the apprentice sobbed silently as her mother drew her fluffy tail across the ginger she-cat. ~*~ “I-I can’t do it!” stammered Leafpool. Her eyes were still wet with tears, her pelt still soaked from the drips. She was staring at her son’s dead body, along with her sister’s. “She-she helped me. And he—Jayfeather—he was my son! My son! Don’t you understand? Don’t you?” Alderheart nosed his kin. “Then I’ll do it. Besides, you’re not the medicine cat. You’re an elder. Relax, and let the youngsters take care of it.” He somberly bowed his head, and the cats in the clearing did so as well. “StarClan, we have lost two wonderful cats. We ask that you receive them with honor. We ask that you give them good hunting, swift running, and shelter where they sleep.” Firepaw looked up for a peek. The gray tabby tom was lying on the floor, his face one of peace. "Keep your head down!" hissed her father. "We need to show respect for those who have died." Firepaw obeyed as Alderheart continued. Eventually everyone got up, but did not go over to the bodies. The apprentice guessed it was because of the sickness. She wished the sickness didn't exist, so this didn't have to happen. Selfish, sure, but she wanted everything to be like it was before. Firepaw wanted her mother to herself, Stormcloud, and Lionpaw. She didn't want to share with her Clanmates. tbc Category:Fanfiction